Obama Continues to Reshape Staff Amid Stumbles

President Barack Obama, left, and Miguel Rodriguez, center, are greeted by the House Sergeant Arms Paul Irving, right, in March.

By Colleen McCain Nelson and Peter Nicholas

President Barack Obama continued to reshape his senior staff Friday with the announcement that Miguel Rodriguez would leave his job as legislative affairs director after less than a year in the post.

He will be replaced by Katie Beirne Fallon, a longtime aide to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D., N.Y.), who came to the White House earlier this year as deputy director of communications.

The move is one of several recently announced staffing changes in the West Wing, and it comes as the president faces all-time high disapproval ratings and questions about his ability to manage. As the administration works to rebuild public confidence after the botched rollout of HealthCare.gov and jumpstart its domestic agenda, a handful of top aides are poised to join Mr. Obama’s team.

Longtime senior adviser Pete Rouse and White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler are planning to depart. Earlier this week, the administration said that John Podesta, a White House chief of staff under Bill Clinton, would serve as counselor to Mr. Obama. The president also is bringing back Phil Schiliro, who previously served as legislative affairs director, for a short stint coordinating health-care policy.

And the White House has announced plans to create a permanent position overseeing HealthCare.gov, a role that Jeffrey Zients has filled since late October.

Friday’s personnel move comes less than 11 months after the president tapped Mr. Rodriguez to serve as legislative affairs director. Since then, the White House has continued to hear a steady drumbeat of criticism about its outreach to Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers and aides from both parties have said that communication from the White House has been lacking and that Mr. Rodriguez hasn’t been visible in this key position.

“Their operation is like Sasquatch,” a senior Republican leadership aide said of the administration’s outreach. “Some people swear it exists, but few if any have ever seen it.”

Other Congressional aides described Mr. Rodriguez as a bit player whose role had been largely taken over by chief of staff Denis McDonough and deputy chief of staff Rob Nabors, who preceded Mr. Rodriguez in the job.

“The fact that they’ve had to make this change shows that there is something not right between the Hill and the White House,” a Senate Democratic aide said Friday.

Hill Democrats applauded the arrival of Ms. Fallon.

“There’s nobody – nobody – better suited for this job,” Mr. Schumer said. “Katie has the great ability to listen and then bring people together, and will be able to convey the administration’s message in strong but friendly terms to members of both parties.”

Hill Democrats said that Mr. McDonough – not Mr. Rodriguez – often serves as a main conduit between the White House and Congress.

For example, after the U.S. struck a deal aimed at stopping Iran’s nuclear program, U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D., Calif.), said that she received several private briefings from Mr. McDonough.

Mr. McDonough also travels to the Hill to brief lawmakers on administration policy. One congressional aide recalls a meeting last month in the Capitol in which Democratic lawmakers gave him an earful on the failings of the healthcare.gov website.

“There was a lot of grief from members,” the aide said. “McDonough was there, just taking it.”

With Mr. McDonough taking on so many assignments, he’s been stretched thin, people close to the White House say. Mr. Podesta’s arrival could help ease the workload, though.

In a statement released Friday, the president praised Mr. Rodriguez, who has served in the Obama administration since day one. Mr. Obama also said Ms. Fallon “has the deep expertise and strong relationships required to build on the progress we’ve made this year and advance my top priority: creating jobs and expanding broad-based growth and opportunity for every American.”

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